It’s the last of the current series tonight and the family tree of BBC news veteran John Simpson couldn’t be more surprising if it turned out he was distantly related to Marge and Homer.

Its most romantically adventurous tale concerns Simpson’s great great grandmother who left her husband to join the Wild West Show fronted by her new love – American sharpshooting cowboy Samuel Cody.

Even though he’s not related to Cody, Simpson feels proud at his connection to this extraordinary man who also became the very first person to fly an aircraft in Britain. But the glamour of his great-grandmother, who’s thought to have been a bareback rider, doesn’t alter the tragic and equally extraordinary fate of the husband and daughter she left behind.

Saddest of all though is Simpson’s recollection of the day his own parents split. His mother wanted to take him with her, but aged just seven Simpson chose to stay with his father – a decision that would change his life forever and haunts him still.

Gold celebrates the legendary comic duo Ronnie Corbett and Ronnie Barker in a night dedicated to the Two Ronnies

The Two Ronnies Spectacle (8pm, Gold)

They made a hundred prime time shows containing more than 700 unique sketches during their career. But sometimes it seems as though there have been almost as many repeats and repackagings of their prodigious output.

Like Morecambe and Wise, The Two Ronnies continue to be endlessly recycled in a way that you can’t imagine happening to any of today’s comedy double acts.

This new series, narrated by Victoria Wood has a few aces up its sleeve, including one sketch that’s never been seen before. But instead of just enjoying these sketches they’re endlessly interrupted by other comedians explaining what we’ve just seen and why it’s funny.

We also see their career-changing performance from the 1970 BAFTA awards when they had to fill in during a technical breakdown.

It was a glitch that led to them getting their own show on the BBC.

Meet The Russians (9pm, Fox)

If you want to gawp at the lifestyles of the jaw-droppingly wealthy, this is the show for you.

There are estimated to be around 300,000 Russians living in London and some of them are richer than the Queen. Well, who do you think is living in those £150 million penthouses in the capital?

We meet a few of them tonight, including Ukranian pop singer and former Mrs World Kamaliya who’ll be spending three months in the UK trying to become the next Lady Gaga, bankrolled by her husband Zahoor.

There’s definitely an interesting story to be told about this upmarket invasion, but the series is let down by a bland, insight-free narration dripping in clichés.

SOAP ROUND-UP

Emmerdale (7pm, ITV)

He just couldn’t let it lie. Amy and Joanie’s arrangement may be based on a rather massive fib, but it’s been working out well for both of them, and for Kyle too who’s being lavished with all the love and attention a toddler could wish for.

But that’s not good enough for Eric who can’t resist going to Joanie’s house tonight and opening his big fat gob about who Amy really is.

Coronation Street (7.30pm, ITV)

With Carla away, Michelle loses her cool at being edged out of her own job by Peter and their bickering leaves a client with a very bad impression – not to mention a lap full of coffee.

Elsewhere, Hayley waits nervously for her arranged meeting with her son Christian – but will he show?